Ultra HD

Acer has taken the wraps off of its latest gaming notebooks, the Aspire V Nitro series, along with a clutch of new 4K2K and WQHD displays for those who demand extra pixels. Powered by a choice of 4th- or 5th-gen Intel Core processors paired with NVIDIA GeForce graphics up to GTX 860M, the Aspire V Nitro range will be offered in 15- and 17-inch sizes, with the range topped by the Aspire V Nitro-Black Edition.

You may be already familiar with the curved TV rat race between LG and Samsung, but that other key player in the TV industry won't be content to take that status quo sitting down. Sony will soon be launching its own curved TV line, starting with this new S90 series. Boasting of 4K resolution, a subtler curve, and better sound quality, these 65 and 75 inch UHD TV sets are poised to become Sony's champions in the hectic contest for the world's best curved living room screen.

Samsung is once again flaunting its display manufacturing prowess. Starting next month, the Korean manufacturer will be selling the UN78S9B, 78-inch UHD TV whose call to fame will be that it won't force you to choose between a flat screen and a curved one. This is because it can do both.

LG has put its massive curved 105-inch Ultra HD television up for pre-order in South Korea, and promises that it'll be available to buyers in other locations this coming fourth quarter. Among other things, this UHD TV offering trumps 4K televisions, offering the higher 5K instead.

Apple's desktop Mac line may finally be getting the Retina update OS X users have been hoping for, with chatter of a 4K model headed to stores around October. Although Retina display technology is already offered on the MacBook Pro and across Apple's iPhone and iPad line, so far the Mac Pro and iMac have stuck with their lower pixel-density panels, despite both computers being easily capable of driving significantly higher resolutions.

If you're pining for an Ultra HD television but have been waiting for the prices to come down, Chinese maker TCL has ushered in a couple new 4K models that fit the bill. The UE5700 series in particular is aimed at the budget-conscious, with its smallest model, measuring in at 40-inches, being priced at $500 USD.

Samsung has boosted its Ultra HD TV range, including a pair of curved sets and a sizable 85-inch model for those with big living rooms. The new 85-inch HU8550 Series TV is the largest in its product line - though not the largest UHD TV Samsung actually offers, which is a whopping 110-inches - while the HU7250 Series brings curved UHD to a $2,200 price point, with what the company claims is a broader "sweet spot" for viewers.

If you haven't yet started watching Breaking Bad (or you like it enough to watch it a second time around), Netflix has launched the series in Ultra HD (4K) resolution. All 62 of the episodes are available in the higher-resolution, obviously limited to those with applicable 4K-resolution Smart TVs.

Microsoft is talking up the new friction hinge of its Surface Pro 3 tablet, and how it works with the new Type Cover that has been redesigned for better lap use and more. The Surface Pro 3 can now be adjusted to lie nearly flat, at up to 150-degrees back, which Microsoft's Panos Panay describes as a very "intentful" angle for art and such. There's also a new docking station for the Windows tablet.

Sony's 4K Ultra HD Media Player has been priced up, for 4K TV owners hoping for some on-demand ultra-high-definition content to actually make the most of their expensive sets. The box, which is expected to ship in July, supports both Sony's own Video Unlimited 4K service, which has over 200 Sony Pictures films, along with around 50 TV shows, all in 4K, as well as Netflix's 4K streaming.